And the Winner is....

Okay, so maybe we didn't win a Grammy or an Oscar, but for a campground it's pretty cool. Due to our 4W rating in the '2010 Woodall's North American Directory', we received a certificate to acknowledge this achievement.

According to the letter that came with it, only 25% of privately owned parks in the 2010 edition attained this rating, and we just keep getting better.

What more encouragement do you need to come check us out?

Balance

This year will be our third summer operating Robert's Roost. Although we knew it would be a lifestyle change, the first year caught us totally off guard. We were already used to working long hours at our previous job, but had the convenience of working in a location with an onsite restaurant. This helped ensure that our children actually got fed. They were even able to eat healthy food due to all the homemade soups and sandwiches. Unfortunately it also taught them the phrase, "Just put it on Mom and Dad's tab." Being here, we had to actually make the effort to eat. It was a common occurence to be reminded by the kids at nine o'clock at night that we haven't had dinner yet. We became best friends with every delivery driver in town!

We were lucky enough to have great staff to help us through the first few years and we are getting better at not trying to do everything ourselves. We even went out on the boat a few times last year! Although we are starting to find the balance between family and work time we still feel like we don't spend enough time with the kids over the summer holiday. This has led Keith to the conclusion that we need to take them for a mini-vacation sometime before they head back to school.

I said I was getting better at letting go, not that I was cured! There are just too many things that can happen unexpectedly. Electrical outlets needing immediate replacement, water lines bursting, internet shutting down, hot water heater needing a little TLC, boat motors needing tweaking, campers needing to locate an after hours vet at three in the morning, etc... etc... etc.... We can't leave all that for our employees!

Maybe I can talk him into a nice vacation in Hixon....

As I was browsing through Quesnel's local book store, I happened upon Brian Smith's book, 'Fly Fishing BC's Interior'. In this guide, Brian shares information on local fishing spots as well as fly tying patterns and fishing techniques. Some of the lakes he writes about in the Quesnel area are: 10 Mile, Bellos, Bishop (Brown), Marmot, Fishpot, the Blackwater River and Tributaries as well as my personal favourite, Dragon Lake.

As I read the book, I was starting to think that the author, is a very knowledgeable man. I had pretty much come to this conclusion already, but when I read this sentence, there was no doubt left in my mind as to the infinite wisdom of Brian Smith. "The accommodation at Robert's Roost on Dragon Lake is the finest among the region's campgrounds (see website at www.robertsroostcampsite.ca)." Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

If you are planning on fishing the waters of the Central Interior or North Cariboo, I highly suggest picking up a copy of this book. And Brian, if you are planning on staying with us again, we would love to have you in for a glass of celebratory wine.

Congratulations on the fantastic book! - Robin & Keith.